Compact sensing apparatus

Abstract

A sensing apparatus having a sensor formed in a monolithic semiconductor substrate and oriented orthogonally to a signal conditioner is provided. The sensor generates a sensing signal in response to a predetermined physical stimulus. A signal conditioner electrically connected and responsive to the sensor conditions the sensing signal. The sensor and signal conditioner are formed on wafer surfaces of a single semiconductor substrate cut from a semiconductor wafer. The substrate is separated, one portion having the sensor formed on therein and the other having formed therein the signal conditioner. The portions are oriented and rejoined to form a monolithic semiconductor substrate. The resulting monolithic substrate has, then, a sensor and signal conditioner formed therein and angled relative to each other at a predetermined angle.

1. A compact sensing apparatus comprising:
 a signal conditioner semiconductor substrate;  
 a sensor semiconductor substrate having a first surface thereof abuttingly connected to a first surface of the signal conditioner substrate;  
 a signal conditioner circuit formed on a second surface of the signal conditioner semiconductor substrate for conditioning a sensing signal; and  
 a sensor circuit formed on a second surface of the sensor semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the signal conditioner circuit for generating the sensing signal in response to a predetermined physical stimulus, wherein the second surface of the sensor semiconductor substrate is orthogonal to the second surface of the signal conditioner semiconductor substrate, wherein the sensor circuit and the signal conditioner circuit are electrically connected via a conductive thermosetting material diffused into at least one recessed channel formed in the surface of the sensor substrate and into at least one channel formed in the surface of the signal conditioner substrate, the at least one recessed channel of the sensor substrate and the signal conditioner substrate being aligned to thereby provide a common channel bridging the sensor and the signal conditioner substrates for providing a conductive path between the sensor and the signal conditioner.  
 
   
   
     2. A compact sensing apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor substrate and the signal conditioner substrate are abuttingly connected by mutual adhesion, the adhesion being effected by a nonconductive thermosetting material positioned between the mutually abutting surface portions of the sensor substrate and the signal conditioner substrate. 
   
   
     3. A compact sensing apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , the apparatus further comprising a base on which the signal conditioner substrate is mounted and conducting means for providing an electrical connection between the sensing apparatus and a preselected electrical device. 
   
   
     4. A compact sensing apparatus as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the conducting means comprises at least one bonding pad positioned on the signal conditioner substrate for providing an electrical connection with an electrical conductor having a first end connected to the at least one bonding pad and a second end connected to a preselected electrical device to thereby provide a conductive path between the sensing apparatus and the preselected electrical device. 
   
   
     5. A compact sensing apparatus as defined in  claim 4 , the apparatus further comprising an encapsulation surrounding at least a portion of the sensor and the base-mounted signal conditioner. 
   
   
     6. A compact sensing apparatus as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the base comprises a roughened surface portion which contacts a portion of and to increase friction at points of contact between the base and the encapsulation to thereby reduce the probability that the base and the encapsulation will separate from each other. 
   
   
     7. A compact sensing apparatus as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the base comprises at least one recessed well within a surface portion of the base to increase the extent of contact between the base and the encapsulation to thereby reduce the probability that the base and the encapsulation will separate from each other. 
   
   
     8. A compact sensing apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor circuit and the signal conditioner circuit are electrically connected by at least one bonding pad positioned on the sensor substrate and at least one bonding pad positioned on the signal conditioner substrate. 
   
   
     9. A compact sensing apparatus as defined in  claim 8 , the apparatus further comprising a base on which the signal conditioner substrate is mounted and conducting means for providing an electrical connection between the sensing apparatus and a preselected electrical device. 
   
   
     10. A compact sensing apparatus as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the conducting means comprises at least one bonding pad positioned on the signal conditioner substrate for providing an electrical connection with an electrical conductor having a first end connected to the at least one bonding pad and a second end connected to a preselected electrical device to thereby provide a conductive path between the sensing apparatus and the preselected electrical device. 
   
   
     11. A compact sensing apparatus as defined in  claim 10 , the apparatus further comprising an encapsulation surrounding at least a portion of the sensor and the base-mounted signal conditioner. 
   
   
     12. A compact sensing apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the base comprises a roughened surface portion which contacts a portion of and to increase friction at points of contact between the base and the encapsulation to thereby reduce the probability that the base and the encapsulation will separate from each other. 
   
   
     13. A compact sensing apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the base comprises at least one recessed well within a surface portion of the base to increase the extent of contact between the base and the encapsulation to thereby reduce the probability that the base and the encapsulation will separate from each other. 
   
   
     14. A compact sensing apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the signal conditioner semiconductor substrate and the sensor semiconductor substrate are formed from the same semiconductor substrate material.